Fountain pen



Sept. 2, 1930.

R. DEBENEDE'ITI FOUNTAIN PEN Filed march 19, 192g l x n n l l r n l i l x l ofthe valve member when the nib of the Patented Sept. 2, 19304 v,UNITI-:D STATES 'Y A'i1-,775,068

PATENT OFFICE y RODOLFO DEBENEDETTI, 0F TURIN, ITALY, ASSIGNOR T0 FABBRICA.i ITALIANA DI PENNE A SERBATOIO AURORA, 0F TURIN,ITALY, A FIRM QF ITALY FOUNTAIN PEN I v f Application led March 19, 1928, Serial No. 262,897, and in; Italy March 21, 1927.

\or to a position where it will be protected,

actuate a valve member provided on a part interposed between the ink reservoir and the nib, to provide for supply of ink fromthe reservoir to the nib of the pen when the nib is in position for writing and effect closing pen is in the other position referred to.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates by way of example an embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of a fountain'pen embodying the improvey ments of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the same; Figure 3 is a transverse 'sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; y

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Y

Figure 5 is a fragmentary central sectional View showing a modiied construction; and

Figure 6 is a side view of the nib .end Vof the pen shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawing the numeral 1 indicates a barrel in which is movably mounted a pen ibody comprising a sleeve 4 which encloses the ink reservoir 5, and has at its front end a connecting sleeve 18 and a nib holding piece 2 carried thereby, the nib 3 being engaged between said sleeve and holding piece,

The mouth of barrel 1 is closed by means of a wing 6 pivoted at 16 at one side of the mouth of said barrel, and the barrel 1 has a longitudinal slot 8 while the sleeve 4 has a transverse pin 17 projecting through said slot Sand carrying a knob 7 for the manipulation of said pen body, for the purpose of effecting retraction of the nib into and its projection out of the barrel 1.

Of course any different arrangement may be used .to shift the position of the pen body in its barrel.

The closure ,6 is yieldably urged by the action of a spring, not shown, towards its closed position, and it is engaged and opened by the piece 2 at the time the pen body is moved to project the nib to its outer position.' r

Means are provided for compressing vthe reservoir 5, .which is of soft rubber, for the purposey of filling it with ink, said means comprising the usual member (not shown) which extends through sleeve 4 and barrel 1 for its manipulation.

The above described parts are not an object of the present invention and they are described and, illustrated only for purpose of disclosure of this invention.'

In the nib fastening piece 2 is provided a passage 9 opening through the inner end, of

sleeve 18 and serving to conduct ink from the reservoir 5 to the nib 3.

Said passage 9 is controlled by a rotatable disk valve 10 having a port 11 adapted to register with said passage 9 when the disk valve 10 is in a given position, while in another angular position of said disk valve the port 11 is out of register with respect to the passage 9 and the feeding of ink from the reservoir 5 through the passage 9` and to the nib 3 is prevented.

Said disk valve 10 is fixed for rotation with the extension 12 of a stem 12 which is mounted to rotate in a central bore of the nib holding piece 2, and said stem 12 has an outwardly, laterally extending finger 13 the end of which extends into a. groove 14 provided in the inner surface of the barrel A1.

The said groove 14 extends on a nearly helical line so as to cause the finger 13 to be swung and thus, edect rotation of the stem 12, and the angular movement of the disk valve` 10 around the axis of said stem when the pen body 4 with the nib 3 and parts 18 and 2 are'moved longitudinally within the barrel 1, the respective size of the parts and shape of the said groove being such as to cause the port 11 to move from a closed to an open position, or vice-versa', on the pen body being moved longitudinally by the manipu-y .lation of the knob 7- through the extent rei j position 'or' to retract it into its inactive position.

In the embodiment' illustrated the disk valve 10' is fixed for rotation with the stem 12 by forming the extension 12 of said stem 12 ofrnon-circular shape in cross section and said disk valve is held in contact with the outer end of the nib holding piece 2l by a spring 15 which is located within the sleeve 18 and engaged between said disk valve 10 and a head 19 upon the extension of the stem.

Uf course the connection of the disk valve l() with the stem may be edected in any other desired manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ln Figure 1 the nib ot the pen is shown in writing position, the nib 3 projecting from the barrel l'and the shutter 10 having its port 11 in register with passage 9 and in this position of the parts, ink is free to fiow from the reservoir 5 through the passage 9 and to the nib 3.

When it is desired to close the pen, the knob 7 is grasped and moved longitudinally ofthe barrel to retract the sleeve 4f and nib 3 into the barrel 1, whereupon the end. of the finger 13 is caused to slide along the groove 14; and as the sleeve 4 and associated parts are j prevented from rotating with respect to barrel 1 by the engagement of the finger pin 17 in the slot 8 of the barrel. The finger 13 is given angular movement with respect to the part 2 and the pen body, and thus the stem and disk valve 1,0 are rotated so that the port 11 of the said disk valve is moved out of registration with respect to the assage 9 and this passage is thus closed by the disk valve, under the pressure of spring 15.

To restore the nib of the pen into writing position the parts are adjusted to the positions shown in Fig. 1 by the manipulation of' the knob 7, the closure 6 beingswung to open position by the engagement of the holding piece 2 therewith and the shutter 10 being again rotated to its open position, with its port 11-in registration with the passage 9.

To insure certain operation of the disk valve 1() said disk valve contacts with its seat a iat surface as illustrated.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6 the pen barrel is indicated by 1 and has a closure 6 adaptedto close its mouth. The pen bodyfi is mounted to reciprocate in the said barrel, the said pen body having an end sleeve 18 in which the nib carrier,2 and nib 3 are held, thesaidbody also including anink reservoir 5 and theusual member 20 for compressing said reservoir which Iisof soft rubber, by means of a manipulating member (not shown) to fill said reservoir with ink. i.

The delivery of ink from the reservoir 5 through the duct 9, and to the nib- 3 is controlled by a disk valve'10 held against the'4 nib carrier' 2 by a spring 15 which abuts against a shoulder 18' on the sleeve 18. Said disk valve 10 is fixed upon a square head 12 provided upon a stem 12 rotatable in the carrier 2 and havin a transverse finger' 1? mounted to move 1n atransverse slot 21 in the nib carrier 2, the outer end of said finger engaging a spiral groove 14 formed in the inner surface of barrel 1.

Said'groove 14 is provided at its outer end, with an enlarged or flaring portion 22 adjacent to the forward ,end of the Abarrel 1, the forward end of said'ared portion 22 having the same span as the slot 21 of the nib vcarrier 2 (see Fig. 6). I

The operation of this embodiment is the same as that of the rst described embodiment, but when the pen body a with parts carried thereby is retracted into the pen barrel, the finger 13 always enters the dared portion 22 regardless ofthe position to which said finger may have been moved when the pen is in writing condition by an inaccurate manipulation or for any other reason, andl the side walls of' said flared portion 22' always guide said finger into the groove 14 and, 1n this manner, the pen parts are prevented from being jammed by the finger 13 engaging the front end of barrel 1 as might happen in the embodiment of Fig. 1 and the correct .operation of the parts is secured under any circumstances. j

By the above described construction and arrangement, the supply of ink to the nib from the ink reservoir isv cut od when the 'nib of the pen is in retracted condition, and thus any leakage of ink is prevented, even in the event the pen is held with its nib downward.

. Of course the present invention is not restricted to the cut-off arrangement described and illustrated nor to the construction of pen which has been described for the purpose of illustration, except as defined by the appended claims. j

What I claimas my invention and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s 1. A fountain pen comprising a pen body including an ink reservoir and a nib connected therewith,a barrel in which said pen body is mounted for longitudinal movement, man- {ually operable means for adjusting said pen body from the -exterior of the barrel, said barrel having al helical groove formed at -one: end with an enlar ed mouth, a rotary i valve intermediate sald ink reservolr and mb, Y

and a nger upon said valve engageablein said of said nib carrier, a spring forcin shutter adjacent to said nib carrier, a stem solid with said shutter and extending outside oP said shutter on the adjacent face of said3 carrier, a linger projectin from said stem, a barrel in whlch said Abo y and vassociate parts are e mounted for longitudinal movement, said barrel having a helical groove with an enlarged mouth engaged by said finger, andl means for shifting said pen body and associated parts with respectto said barrel, the' cooperation of said linger and helical groove causing said shutter to be moved into open position when said pen body is carried into writing positions, and into closed position when said body is carried in retracted position within said barrel.

3. A fountain pen comprising a pen body including an ink reservoir, and a nib carried by the body, a -member mounted for longitudinal movement lwith respect to said pen body, a rotatable valve between said reservoir and nib, and cooperating means on said valve and movable member for effecting movement of the valve to open position when said .nib is adjusted to writing position, and movementI Aof the valve to closed position when said nib is adjusted to non-wrlting position,- said cooperating means comprising a projective elment on the valve and a member rotatable with respect to the valve and which member is provided with a groove, the said projecting element being engageable in the groove, and

the groove having a linear extent to eiect rotation of the valve upon rotation of said member to assume open and closed positions. 4. A fountain pen comprising a pen body A including an ink reservoir, and a nib carried and to provide for closing ofthe valve when by the body, a barrel in which said pen body is mounted for longitudinal movement, manually operable means foradjusting said pen'body 6. A fountain pen comprising a pen body including an ink reservoir,a nib, and a member connecting said nib and reservoir and holding the nib in place, a barrel in which said pen body is vmounted for longitudinal movement, a rotary disk valve upon said member, a spring yieldably holding said valve against the adjacent end of said member, and cooperating means 0n said valve and barrel for effecting movement of the valve to openthe same when said member is moved to briiig the nib into writing position and to close the valve when said member is inoved to retract the nib. e

7 A fountain pen comprising a pen body including an ink reservoir, a nib, and a member connecting said nib and reservoir and hold the nib in place, a rotary disk valve upon said member, a spring yieldably holding said valve against the adjacent end, of said member, a finger upon said valve, a barrel in which said bodv and assoclated parts are mounted for` longitudinal movement, said barrel having a helical groove with a widened end portion engaged by said finger, and means for shifting said pen body and associated parts with respectv to said barrel, the cooperation of said finger and helical groove causing said valve to be moved into open position when said pen body is adjusted to bring the nib to writing position, and to be moved to closed position when said body is adjusted to retract the nib to position within said barrel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification; j

RODOLFO DEBENEDETTI.

from the exterior of the barrel, a rotary valve Aintermediate said ink reservoir and nib, helical guiding means on said barrel, and an element lon the valve engaging said means, whereby to provide for .movement of the valve to open position when said pen body is adjusted to presentl the nib in writing position said pen body is adjusted to retract the nib.

5. A fountain pen comprising a n body including an ink reservoir, and a ni carried by the body; abarrel in which said pen body is mounted for longitudinal movement, manually operable means for adjusting said pen body from ,the exterior .of the barrel, said barrel having a helical groove, a rotary valve intermediate said ink reservoir and nib,and a 4 finger upon' said valve .engaging in 'said groove whereby to provide-for rotation of said valve to open body is adjusted to g'the nib to writing position and rotation of the valve to close the same when said tract the nib.

lposition when' vsaid pen v rin pen body is adjusted to 

